Meet a Deac – Meghan Haenn (’10)

We hope you have been enjoying meeting some of our terrific colleagues at Wake Forest. Today we meet young alumna and staff member Meghan Haenn (’10), Assistant Director of Campus Life and Events.

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You are a young alumna. Talk about how you decided to stay at Mother So Dear, and what you are doing now.I earned a degree in history as a proud member of the Class of 2010. I am currently in my second year as a staffer at Wake Forest. Last year, I participated in the Wake Forest Fellows program in the Division of Student Life. This program enables the most recent graduates of Wake to apply for full-time, one year positions with the university in order to learn about higher education and managing a university. I highly recommend the program to any student who is interested in higher education or one of the specific areas like fundraising, student development, art, academics, etc.

I loved the experience so much that I gladly accepted an offer to stay in the Campus Life unit to continue working on programs and initiatives we began last year. As for my job now, I plan lots of programs and events, manage The Barn and oversee communication efforts on our department’s behalf via our website, Facebook, Twitter and blog. I also enjoy exploring the “other duties as assigned” part of my job description by finding new ways to reach out to students.

How does the work that you do touch WF parents and families?
It may not be explicitly written in all of our job descriptions, but one of the main things we do in Campus Life is develop mentoring relationships with students of any year and every level of involvement. I remember feeling lost at sea during my sophomore year; looking back I realize that it was the mentoring relationships with upperclassmen, faculty and staff and support of my family that enabled me to become an engaged student leader.

I like to “pay it forward” whenever possible by providing this same support to future generations of Wake students. I hope that all of our parents know that their sons and daughters are loved and genuinely cared for at this institution. If they are ever concerned or in need of support, we are happy to be of help.

What are some of your favorite memories as a student?When I started my job, Ken Zick (VP of Student Life) warned me that college campuses are haunted. It didn’t take too long to learn what he meant; sometimes it feels like a Dickens novel with all of the Ghosts of College Memories Past running around. I encounter them frequently in certain places:

– In the ZSR atrium, I see my friends who prepared for tests and papers in my same style: more social than studious.

– In Shorty’s, I see friends waiting for me with the cheapest pitcher on tap, getting ready to take down the rest of the room in trivia.

– In Piccolo residence hall, I see my entire freshman hall gathered around the TV to watch Wake beat Florida State in Tallahassee.

– In the Student Government office, I see friends hotly debating topics ranging in seriousness from Kanye West vs. Taylor Swift to the university’s campus master plan.

– On the Quad, I have waves of nostalgia about a variety of athletic events: the 2006 ACC football championship, upsetting Duke at home in basketball unexpectedly in 2008, celebrating Duke and UNC wins in 2009 (while also being ranked #1 in the country) and celebrating our last second victory over Texas in the 2010 NCAA tournament.

What advice would you give to today’s students? Today’s students should know that Wake Forest provides you with more opportunities for learning, mentoring, and friendship that you might find in any one place for the rest of your life. It is imperative that you soak up every last drop before you leave this place.

What is the best part about working at Wake Forest? The relationships I have formed and will continue to form push me forward every day. The relationships are what make this place so incredibly unique (and hard to leave!).

And now, the fun stuff!

Book you’re reading now/last read: The Social Animal by David Brooks (an excellent book for parents of my generation!)

What music are you listening to these days: Adele, Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers and the “My Guy” by Mary Wells Pandora station

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The Office of Family Engagement provides information and support to Wake Forest parents, guardians, grandparents, and family members. The office maintains the Family Engagement Page of the Wake Forest website, which is the primary vehicle of communication with families, as well as our Facebook and Twitter presence.